Space Shuttle Discovery – The last launch
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NASA is fueling space shuttle Discovery for one last liftoff. Before sunrise Friday, the launch team began filling the massive fuel tank for a mid-afternoon liftoff. It’s the closest NASA has come to sending Discovery and a crew of six to the International Space Station, after nearly a week of delays.
Thursday’s attempt was thwarted by stormy weather. The cold front quickly moved through. Now, forecasters say there is a 70 percent chance that conditions will be acceptable at the 3:04 p.m. launch time. Wind is the main concern. Three previous delays were caused by technical problems.
This will be the 39th and final flight of Discovery. NASA will close out its 30-year-old space shuttle program next year.
UPDATE 9am November 5 – LAUNCH CANCELED DUE TO FUEL LEAK
IT FINALLY MADE IT – February 24, 2011 – With 2 seconds to spare the space shuttle Discovery was launched on it’s final trip.
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[…] Last Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery By rbucich via madmikesamerica.com […]
The shuttle program was quite the accomplishment, but I feel that it is dwarfed by the Apollo program. I have nothing but awe and admiration for those engineers that were involved in that design.
That was back in the days where you didn’t have 3-D simulations and computers to do stress analysis.
Getting to the moon with computers equivalent to a 10 dollar calculator! Something to be admired. Plus they had those cool thick black glasses and short sleeve white dress shirts!
That’s what I’m talking about! Style!
I agree, Apollo 13 remains one of my favorite movies. Also The Right Stuff shows how ‘seat of the pants’ it all was.
On of the highlights of my life was a day spent at The Kennedy Space Center.
I have been there as well. Amazing…that building where the Shuttle is assembled with the door that actually opens wide enough to let the Shuttle out!
The crawler that moves the rockets to the launch pad is a real mechanical wonder!